A Second Chance At Love
by roothlace
Summary: Arthur Pendragon is asked to stand in for the President for one night...
1. Chapter 1

_Merlin_ and _Dave_ don't belong to me

 **A Second Chance At Love**

000

"Don't tell me he refused to wake up again?" Leon asked Merlin.

"Worse," Merlin replied, "Mithian's still around."

Leon shook his head in disgust. This wasn't what he had signed on for when he joined the Secret Service and worst of all Gwen; the First Lady, was such a nice person, she didn't deserve such treatment from Will. It was been bad when Will used to cheat on her at the Fyrien Hotel where he had a whole floor to himself, now he was bringing the women back to Camelot, their home.

"I knew should have run Mithian off last night," Merlin muttered. And he had tried but Will had managed to sneak her into his room.

"We should have never let him go for the fundraiser," Leon said.

"Like we could have stopped him," Merlin replied, "Agravaine barely let us near him as it was."

"Go back inside and ask Mithian to leave," Leon told Merlin. "The First Lady is already downstairs."

"Why don't you do it?"

"It's your turn," Leon reminded him, "I got rid of Sophia, remember?"

"Fine." Merlin went back and yanked the door open without knocking earning himself a glare from Mithian.

000

"I think it's time you got me a new look-a-like," Will said. "The last guy you got was a disaster."

"I agree," Agravaine told Will, the last guy they'd got to stand in for the President when he'd decided to take an impromptu weekend off to Aspen had been a disaster so much that they had to lock him up in a federal prison on some trumped up charges. Agravaine still maintained, when taken to task by Leon and Merlin who were against the idea of stand-ins at all, that the man had to be imprisoned or committed and prison was the less harmful option what he'd neglected to mention was that he had already given orders for the man to be executed after three months.

"Why don't you send Merlin and Leon to take care of it?" Will suggested.

"Are you sure?"

"They couldn't do a worse job than you did," Will said, "and besides we don't really want them around this afternoon, do we?"

"No we don't," Agravaine agreed. They definitely didn't need Leon around for their dealings that afternoon.

000

Arthur Pendragon entered his office and smiled at his sister and business partner, Morgana, who as usual had beaten him in. They owned an antiques store.

"Good morning, Morgana," he greeted her.

"Arthur, finally," she said, "Gwaine's been calling all morning." Gwaine was an old school friend of Arthur who was always coming up with get-rich-quick schemes.

"What does he want?"

"I didn't ask," Morgana replied, "but I'm sure it's another harebrained idea."

"I'll call him after I get back from Dragoon's."

"You're still going for that?"

"Last time I checked, sister dear," Arthur told her, "it was my work at Dragoon's that actually kept the lights on at this place."

"Frankly I've never understood why you do it," Morgana replied, although she didn't deny that his work at the theatre was what kept them in business.

"You know why," Arthur told him, "I was never going to good enough for the West End but at least here I get to do some bit of acting and actually get paid."

"Who are you impersonating this time?"

"The President, who else?" Arthur laughed. "You know how well I pull off Will Mercia."

"I know," Morgana agreed, "it's freakish."

"So, you'll drive me?"

"Why don't you just buy yourself a car?" she complained.

"I'm trying to save the planet here," Arthur defended himself, "and besides you know I can't afford to buy a car."

"You can," she said.

"Fine," he replied, "but I prefer to ride my bicycle."

"So ride your bicycle then."

"Fine"

000

"Why does Agravaine want us to do it this time?" Merlin asked.

"He's busy," Leon told him.

"Did Langston have a double as well?" Langston had been the President before Mercia.

"I don't know," Leon replied, "I wasn't part of his detail."

"I bet she didn't have one," Merlin said, "I mean why would she need one?"

"Why does Mercia need one?" Leon asked.

"He's young and stupid."

Leon didn't have anything to say to that and instead asked, "Are you sure about this Arthur Pendragon?"

"According to my sources he sounds just like Mercia and if he is given a makeover he could pass for him."

They entered the Dragoon and waited for Arthur Pendragon's act.

000

To say that Arthur Pendragon's act was good was putting it mildly. He didn't like exactly like Mercia, for one, Mercia wore spectacles – a vanity thing really, and he had dark auburn hair while Arthur was blond and Arthur clearly worked out while Mercia did not but his mannerisms were all Mercia.

"He'll do," Leon said.

000

Arthur cycled home and let himself into his house. It had been a good day; after the show he'd gone back to the office where they'd been able to sell off a whole trunk of hats and hairpins.

"Who are you and what do you want in my house?" he asked Leon and Merlin whom he'd found waiting for him in his sitting room.

"Secret Service," Leon showed him his budget. "Your country needs your help."

"My help?"

"Yes," Leon continued, "from time to time the President needs a stand-in and we believe you would fill that role perfectly."

"You want me to pretend to be President?"

"Yes."

000


	2. Chapter 2

Guinevere Mercia, Gwen, First Lady, went to her dressing room and picked up some sweat pants and a T-shirt and changed out of the suit she'd been wearing. She was tired and angry and really she had no right to be angry with Will. The man she'd fallen in love with and married was long gone. She could lie to herself that it had only happened when they'd finally made it to Camelot but she knew that that was a lie, he had started cheating on her long before that and lost interest in anything she cared about way before that. She just hated that he still had the power to hurt her, that knowing that he'd probably spent the night with Mithian Martins made her feel unloved and worse unlovable.

She knew that she didn't love him anymore, she couldn't even remember how loving him had felt but she was angry that he didn't feel the need to hide his conquests from her anymore, that he treated her like she didn't matter at all.

At least she didn't have to attend the dinner with the party leaders this evening; she didn't have to pretend to smile at his jokes while knowing full well that most of the people in the room were aware that their whole relationship was a sham and worst of all knowing that Mithian Martin was in the room somewhere waiting to walk off with her husband.

000

"You can't be serious," Arthur told the Secret service men.

"We're very serious," Leon assured him, "your President needs your help."

"I can't think of anything that Will Mercia would need my help with," Arthur said.

Five minutes later Arthur was staring at Leon in shock. "Are you sure?" he asked for the third time, he couldn't believe that the President got doubles for duties he didn't want to do. "This is incredible."

"Yes," Merlin agreed, "and if you tell anyone about this we'll have to kill you."

Arthur walked around his sitting room shaking his head until he finally collapsed into a chair. "If I can pull it off, it will be the most exciting thing I've ever done."

"Yes it will."

"So, what exactly do you want me to do?" Arthur asked, excitedly. "Give a speech, kiss a few babies, open the new hospital, what?"

Leon and Merlin looked at him and laughed.

000

"You just want me to walk through the kitchens?"

Arthur was getting his hair done; it had already been dyed auburn and it was now being cut into the short style that the President favoured. He had already been fitted for the suit and was just waiting to take the stage so to speak.

"I'm not even going to make a teeny tinny speech?" Arthur had been told not to say a word until the hairdressing team had left the room.

"Not a single word if you value your life," Merlin told him.

"How is that even impersonating the President?" Arthur complained. "I should at least get to say a word in greeting."

Leon was about to reply but the door to the suite opened and President Will Mercia entered with Agravaine.

"This must be the fellow," President Mercia said walking over to Arthur and looking at him. "Not bad, Agravaine, not bad, he could certainly pass for me if you don't look too closely."

"That was the idea," Agravaine replied.

President Mercia nodded and then walked out of the room.

"It's show time," Leon told Arthur and they left the room.

The walk to the kitchen was uneventful, most of the hotel staff surprised to see the President walking by and Arthur smiled at them and was amazed to hear their whispers about the fact that the President was passing by.

They went through the kitchens very quickly and they were about to exit that room when Arthur suddenly stopped and said, "Great job everybody. God bless you."

The staff applauded and Arthur would have remained there basking in their praise but Leon pulled him quickly into the car that was waiting outside.

"What part of not speaking didn't you understand?" Leon huffed while Merlin tried and failed to hold back laughter.

"I've always wanted to do that," Arthur replied. "Won't happen again."

"Of course it won't," Leon reminded him, "this was a one night performance only."

"I didn't even get to enter Camelot," Arthur said, "I didn't even really get to do anything much if you think about it."

"Well, you got people to believe that the President left the hotel," Merlin pointed out.

"Uh huh," Arthur agreed. He turned away from them and pulled out the rucksack where he'd put his clothes and began to change. They had told him that he could keep the suit and the shoes but Arthur had declined the offer, they were very nice but not quite his style.

000

"You certainly went all out this time," Mithian said.

"Anything to please you, my dear," Will smiled at her. They were in the Presidential suite of hotel. "Is everything to your liking?"

"Yes," Mithian replied, "I especially liked that fact that you didn't have to first leave this time."

"Agravaine took care of that little problem," Will assured her, "and the best part is, I don't have to leave until morning."

"That's great," she smiled, "there's hope for you yet."

She popped a cherry into her mouth and stood up. "I have a surprise for you."

"What is it?"

"Wait here," she replied and went into the bathroom. Two minutes later she came out wearing the sexiest lingerie that Will had ever seen. "What do you think?" she asked.

Will stood up and pulled her to him, began to kiss the side of her neck and then he fell down.

"Willie, dear," Mithian pulled his hand, "that's not exactly the reaction I was hoping for." When he didn't move she knelt down next to him and realised that he was out cold.

000

"I guess this is it," Arthur said, he could see the turn to his house coming up.

Leon was about to reply when his phone rang. He listened for a while and then told Merlin. "We have to go back to Camelot."

"Let's just drop Arthur off then," Merlin said. "It's not that far."

"We have to go back to Camelot with him," Leon told them.

"With me?" Arthur asked. "Why?"

"It seems your stint as President is going to run longer than we had thought," Leon replied, "Agravaine will explain when we get there."

000


	3. Chapter 3

**000**

Arthur stood near the balcony waiting for Guinevere to join him. It had been a week since he'd stepped into the President's shoes – so to speak and it was the first he was meeting the First Lady.

Will Mercia had suffered a severe stroke and was in a coma. Agravaine had set up a private medical wing for him on one of the lower floors of Camelot; and the people had been told that the President had had a mild cold. Arthur had been put in bed and the Camelot Physician sent to him; Gaius, the physician was astounded by how well the President was, he'd never been so fit and in such good shape, but had agreed with Agravaine when it was suggested that he be given two days' bed rest. During that time Arthur had been taught how to speak like Will, although he didn't really need any lessons, everyone was astonished by how like the President he actually sounded and acted. After the two days, he'd met with some of the cabinet and even met a visiting head of state. Guinevere Mercia had been out of the country on state visit and it was agreed that if Arthur could manage to convince her that he was her husband then it would have passed the ultimate test. Will's Vice President and best friend, Valiant had been sent on a three month-tour of Africa and it was hoped by Agravaine that by the time he returned the situation would be under control.

Arthur couldn't help but marvel at Agravaine's ability to get things done; he'd even called Morgana with a cover story for Arthur's absence.

"What's she like?" Arthur asked Merlin who was standing by his side.

"Like a First Lady," Merlin replied, "very proper."

"Okay," Arthur nodded. He really would have liked to ask how complicated the relationship between Guinevere and Will was but complicated was the only word he'd gotten in answer to that question.

"But she's also very nice and kind too," Merlin added.

"I guess Will…I mean… I'm not," Arthur said.

"The President is usually very busy," Merlin replied.

The door leading from the First Lady's chambers opened and Guinevere Mercia came out. She was wearing a dark blue suit with a white shirt inside, her hair was held back in a bun; honestly her clothes were ordinary to say the least but Arthur couldn't remember ever seeing a more beautiful woman in his life.

Guinevere stopped short when she saw Will standing on the balcony. The reports had been right, he did look well, not like someone who'd been ill. She'd thought of calling him when she'd been told the news but decided against it…Will didn't care about her and the fact that he hadn't bothered to call her to tell her about his illness himself was proof enough.

"I thought you would put this off," Guinevere said. "You know, come up with another excuse."

"You know me, Guinevere," Arthur replied, "anything for the children."

Gwen snorted and then glared at him, "Guinevere? I thought we had agreed that you were never to call me that."

Arthur couldn't believe he had forgotten that she didn't like to be called by her full name. On the bright side, at least she seemed she think that he was her husband.

"Shall we?" Gwen asked. "We haven't got all day."

000

They got into the Presidential limo and sat down. Arthur had always thought that limos had a lot of space but honestly he couldn't breathe Guinevere…Gwen was smelling so good and her skirt was riding up exposing a beautiful caramel thigh.

Gwen caught him staring and glared at him while pulling her skirt down and turning away from him. It was going to be a long day.

The children were delightful; Gwen read to them and most of them were taken up with the book but one little boy sat alone in the corner. Arthur couldn't help himself, he had been told repeatedly not to divert from the script, but he couldn't help himself. He went over to the little boy and talked to him, pretty soon they were rolling on the floor and the other children came over to join them. At first Gwen was angry with him…trust him to try and get all the attention but when she saw how genuinely happy the children were she couldn't help smiling and joining in when one of the little girls took her hand and pulled her into the circle.

000

Agravaine watched the news in disgust. Arthur wasn't supposed to make Mercia likeable and he definitely wasn't supposed to get off script. He was supposed to have stayed in his seat at the children's home and let Gwen do her thing not become the topic of every talk show in town. Ever since Arthur Pendragon had stood in for Will Mercia the President's approval ratings had risen and it'd barely been a week.

He switched off the TV and picked up the stack of papers he'd taken from the President's office. There were a number of issues that the President needed to deal with and Agravaine had taken it upon himself to see that the government was being run the way he wanted it to. At the top of the pile was approval for funding for the children's home that the First Couple had visited the other day. Agravaine declined the funding and signed Will Mercia's name; he couldn't help but smile as he did it.

000

Arthur couldn't help himself, he knew that Guinevere…Gwen was married to Will Mercia and although that man was unlikely to ever get out of his coma it was still wrong to think about the other man's wife like that. He couldn't help himself and he told himself it wasn't it fault that she liked to sit by the window in the evening with the curtain open. She always wore short shorts and a tiny T-shirt in the evening and let her hair down and looked really good. It wasn't her fault that he hadn't had a girlfriend in years.

000

Gwen couldn't believe her ears. Of all the rotten things to do, she couldn't believe Will had done this. After the way he had acted at the children's home, playing with the little boy, looking good like that in the news and worse of all making her think that he cared.

It was after ten in the night and she'd just had a very long meeting but she knew that she wouldn't sleep unless she told Will off, not that it would change a thing but at least she'd sleep better knowing she had spoken her mind.

000

Arthur was in the shower singing to himself when the door was flung open by a very angry but beautiful Guinevere.

"Will, how could you? I mean I know you don't care but this is low even for you."

Arthur closed his eyes; thankfully he'd been facing the wall and not the door.

"Was that your plan all along?" Gwen continued, "To pretend to care and then do this?"

Arthur swallowed, he had no idea what she was talking about but he couldn't speak.

"Turn around," Gwen ordered, "turn around and face me like a man."

Arthur turned slowly and looked at Gwen wishing that he had a towel handy. For her part Gwen looked him straight in the eye, her gaze filled with anger and disappointment. When he didn't say a word she turned and walked out of the room.

Arthur stood in the shower wondering what he had done to make Gwen that angry with him. He got a towel and then some clothes and got dressed. He needed to get to the bottom of it.

Merlin and Leon were the obvious choice to ask since they were about the only friends he had in Camelot and they seemed to know everything that went on there.

000

"Agravaine declined the funding for the children's home," Merlin told him.

"Technically the President is the one who did that," Leon pointed out.

"But I never saw any paperwork," Arthur argued, "I actually haven't even sat in the office since I met some of the cabinet members."

"You didn't really think Agravaine would actually let you run the country, did you?" Leon asked him.

"I didn't think of that," Arthur admitted, "this was supposed to be a little bit of fun."

"Sure."

"Is there anything I can do?" Arthur asked.

"You're not really the president," Merlin reminded him. "I don't think you can do anything."

"Gwen thinks I am," Arthur told them, "And those children need a home."

000

Arthur was up most of the night thinking about how he could solve the housing problem. According to the paperwork he'd managed to find, the reason the funding had been declined was because there no money; he figured the only way to sort it out was to find some and he knew just the person to help him with that.

"Arthur what are you doing here?" Morgana asked. It had taken some work but he'd finally managed to get her into Camelot and his office. Agravaine had a meeting in Fyrien; a meeting which Arthur really should have been the one attending but Agravaine didn't tell him of course, rather choosing to make apologies for him. Arthur didn't even know that there was a meeting but he was glad that Agravaine was away he could discuss the children's housing situation with Morgana and make it right.

"You really care about Guinevere don't you?" Morgana teased him.

"This isn't about her," Arthur denied, "it's for the children."

"Do you want me to tell you how many times you've mentioned her name?" Morgana asked. "How you couldn't bear to have her disappointed in you?"

"I didn't say that."

"Arthur, seriously, you know she's married, right? To the President, no less."

"I know."

Arthur hadn't told Morgana the truth about Mercia's condition; when asked he'd lied and said he was filling in for him while he had a wild week away and Morgana had accepted it.

"This should work," she told him, giving him the report she'd been compiling. "All you have to do is to convince them to cut their spending."

"I'll give it my best shot."

000


End file.
